Water crisis hits Iwal ward as land degradation dries up sources

30 April 2026, 2:04 pm

By Winnie Auma

Residents of Iwal Ward in Lira City East Division are grappling with a growing water crisis, blamed on years of land degradation and wetland destruction.Locals say the problem stems from the continued cultivation of swamps, which has gradually dried up key water sources they once depended on.

Many admit that the degradation was done unknowingly, mainly in search of farmland.Robert Ojuka, a resident of Iwal Cell, says the situation has worsened, leaving the community with only one functional water source.

The source is now shared by more than 300 households, including residents from neighboring villages such as Abadmunu, Wii Lela, and Abany Cell.

The area councilor, Casemiro Ogwal, has raised concern over the sustainability of the remaining water source. He warns that the source, which has existed for over 50 years, is now under threat due to reduced water flow and increasing pressure from the growing population.

The Regional Manager of the Upper Nile Water Management Zone under the Ministry of Water and Environment, Paskuale Kerudong, says the crisis is largely due to lack of awareness among the community.

He notes that wetland degradation has serious consequences on both human life and the ecosystem.Kerudong has pledged to work with local leaders to educate residents on sustainable land use and alternative livelihoods to help restore and protect the environment.

As pressure mounts on the only remaining water source in Iwal Ward, leaders and residents now face an urgent need to restore degraded wetlands and adopt sustainable practices to prevent a total water crisis.